Need advice on nail tech/service courses in London

[missmaryjane]

Hi guys.
I've been doing research on nail training courses but the more i'm researching the more confused i'm getting.

I'm looking for a full training course for a complete newbie. From mani- pedi to enhancements to nail art including all the theory and practical. I'm planning on working in a salon (at home and internationally) for experience and eventually opening my own salon one day.

This is where i get confused and i apologise if these questions sound ridiculous.

Nail services vs nail technology: what is the difference if there is any?

ITEC vs Abs vs City Guilds? Nvq ,Vrq, Vtct? Which is the best? is there a huge difference? are they recognised internationally? Is the ITEC the only one that is recognised internationally? what about company courses like CND? kits provided by courses are they worth buying or is it better to buy my own kit?

What should I be looking for in a course?

As there are a lot of intense 3-5 days course i'm worried it's not enough time to learn everything and pass the exams. My fears are to sign up for a course and find out in the end, the course wasn't done at industry level and wasted my time and money on a scam and not be able to find a job.

So all you lovely experienced nail techs, please share your training experiences and any recommendations on courses and advice are more than appreciated.

Thank you ladies.

 

[Chickafish]

I still don't know the differences between all the different qualifications. :lol: I've called and asked colleges and training schools and they all tell me each one is what's recognised in the UK (but ITEC is internationally recognised), and I'm still none the wiser.

The intense program's use phrases like "fast track, flexible study, ect" but basically what that consists of is a few days- week in a classroom briefly covering some theory and practical sessions, and they send you home with notes and study guides. It's then up to you go read through all your notes, and do your case studies on your own time, but they usually have a time limit. Some courses charge for additional support. That's one thing you should ask when searching for a course. I find it pretty silly to charge for additional help when only so much is covered during the in-classroom part of the course. After all your case studies are complete, you send them in and book your days for your assessment exams.

I honestly think the value for money courses would be those from companies like CND. I'm not sure which other ones offer a recognised certificate/diploma with their courses, but I know CND has their 14-day complete course that rewards an ITEC, probably worth it for you if you're after an internationally recognised reward. You'll be training with the very products you'll end up using in the field (unlike a lot of non-brand specific courses where you're using lower end brands and end up on these forums asking which ones are the best) so the kit is very well worth it.